White Mask
by RavenCorona
Summary: There was one thing he had to do, one task that he had trained for since years. Cloaked beneath a mask of white, the cat left to hunt the one who he had once called his friend. Ladynoir/Marichat
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer:_ **_I do not own Miraculous Ladybug._

* * *

A different world, a different time. The clock might tick the same way and the bird outside sings the same song. Maybe the wind shakes the leaves the same way, maybe the snow in winter coats the same streets.

Maybe it's all the same, even if everything is different. The same faces, but different stories. The same names, but different memories.

One thing will always stay the same though, no matter how different everything may be. In the end, love stays the same. In the end the two hearts will find each other who were meant to be for all eternity.

Eyerything is different. Only love stays the same.

 _ **Chapter 1**_

The city of Paris laid silent, softly veiled in a hazy mist that caressed the tiled rooftops while the wind whispered its last songs. The silence of the night rested above the dormant houses, the light of the moon only carefully peeking out between a few cloud fragments. Not even the stars dared to show themselves tonight, for their shine would be nothing more than a lifeless flicker in the gloomy sky. Only the chilly breeze could be heard that quietly rustled the leaves of a few trees and a lonely bat that disappeared into the shadows of an alleyway. Sleep surrounded the houses and their residents and the last lights flickered dimly behind closed windows. Barely any human soul dared to enter the streets at this hour, most of them safe at home, tucked into their own warm bed. Floating in dreams of the future about what has been and what will never be. Dreams are for sleeping.

The last ones awake that set their feet outside were the poor, the desperate, those who had ill intentions and a lonely cat on a rooftop. His eyes darted around, glowing yellow orbs. Polished amber that hid something treacherous. No one saw him coming as he crossed the roofs on silent paws, crouched on all fours. Nobody saw the face beneath the cloak of snow white or the mask that hid his identity from all curiosity. The cat's white mask.

He jumped from one roof to the next, briefly glancing down into the streets. Into the foreign world that was so familiar to him at the same time. It had been so long since he had seen all this. But now that he was here, sitting on the tiles, his ears firmly pressed to his shimmering blonde hair, it all came back like it was yesterday. The sweet memories of a time when all had been much easier. Back when his body hadn't been toughened from harsh training. When his heart had still been soft.

Had he really become sentimental now, because of some meaningless memories? Pathetic. He knew exactly what he had to do, there was no time for distractions. For far too long he had prepared for this exact evening, this sweet night. Innocent like his prey. But it had to be this way, no mercy, no remorse. Such feelings were for the weak.

One roof came after the next, the piercing yellow eyes searching the dark without rest. He knew what he was looking for, it had to be around here somewhere. But where… keep calm. He would not fail by missing his target. The cool air brushed his cheeks as he kept running. Don't stop, don't look back. No time to enjoy a nostalgic moment if it meant to miss the chance that he was waiting for. If only he could find…

His white, cat-like ears twitched as a sudden noise reached him. Footsteps? A laugh, not far from him, somewhere down below. Curiosity drove him to the next rooftop, from which he carefully peeked down to the main road, well hidden, thanks to the thick fog. At least he hoped so. Damned be his white leather suit. Beautiful, dangerous white that promised him such power.

Two figures moved through the night, almost invisible in the darkness. But what did the cat with night-vision care? And even if he could not see as clearly as at daytime, the figures soon peeled out of the blackness, looking for protection in the light of a street lantern and exposing themselves to his gaze. A young woman in a lovely dress, flowing burgundy, trimmed with lace. A small hat rested on her head, decorated with delicate silk roses. The man by her side wore a fine shirt and a vest of pale green brocade on top. He held her hand and she laughed happily at something he had said. For a minute or two, they stood under the lantern, before resuming their walk. A young couple that just enjoyed the peace and quiet, while the night hid the secrets of their conversations. Unaware of the snow white cat who had watched their little, private trip.

The boy in white grimaced. Love, who needed that? A mixture of completely irrational emotions that turned the mind into pudding and made the heart beat faster, just because some other person came around the corner. A feeling that artificially made someone else more relevant in the own illusory world for no good reason. Love was distracting, love turned one blind and deaf for logic. And it hurt. A lot. Especially when a loved one was lost.

With a shake of his head, he turned his thoughts back to the actual task. His legs set into motion and he swung over a wide path to the next roof, jabbing his steel staff into the cobblestone of the road. Each of his movements was perfectly calculated, his muscles working smoothly like those of a predator.

A spark of red in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Quickly he hid behind the next chimney to stay out of sight, carefully peeking out of his hiding place. There she was, a slender figure, standing upright in the dark. The body clothed in a red, sleeveless dress over a black blouse, the short skirt open at the front to allow for better movement. Tight, black pants were tucked into red, over-knee boots and a black corsage was wrapped beneath the chest. Slim gloves in red reached over her elbows and a single yoyo hung securely from her waist. What made the outfit stand out were the polka-dots, dotting the red fabric. Black dots on red everywhere, even on the mask the covered her face. The livid moonlight set a silvery shimmer on her raven hair, bound back into two pigtails by red ribbons and framing the pretty face with the self-confident smile. Proudly she stood there at the edge of a tiled roof, her weight shifted to one leg and her gaze drifted over the sleeping city she guarded. Her city.

For a moment, the boy in the white mask forgot to breathe. His body was frozen as he stared at her, taking in the whole sight of her. Everything he had worked towards, everything he had prepared for the last few years vanished for a few seconds and became indifferent. Even the slim, sharpened dagger that hung from his belt in a white sheath didn't matter anymore, the bare steel that had been given to him for one sole purpose.

Once more, memories returned to him, painfully pushed to the surface out of the depths of his consciousness. Blurry pictures of the moment when he had met the red clad heroine for the first time and they had explored their new abilities together. The first battle against an akuma and the bravery she had shown back then. Her assertiveness and her strength, everything about her that had enchanted him. Back when he had been so weak and breakable.

She didn't seem to have changed a bit and her close resemblance to the old pictures in his mind took his breath away. The only real change was her age. She had grown and become more… beautiful.

He could not move and lingered, secretly watching the motionless girl just a few feet away from him, as a dark, familiar presence slowly crept into his consciousness.

 _Ah, old memories… so sweet and malicious at the same time._

A pull in the back of his head snapped him out of his daydreams, pain shot through his limbs in a flash and he gasped for air. Jerkily he pressed his back against the chimney, crouching into the shadows. Had the girl heard him? But that was not the only thing he was afraid of.

 _You wouldn't allow yourself to get distracted by such insignificant recalls now, would you?_

Hastily he shook his head, closing his eyes and trying hard to calm down his racing heartbeat. His breath trembled and he put one clawed hand onto his mouth. The girl mustn't hear him! An ominous, purple butterfly shape glowed upon his face as a low voice whispered into his ear.

 _The past is a thing that your head changes to make it seem brighter than it really had been. Your mind is playing tricks on you, Chat Blanc. Don't allow it to sway you._

The presence of the voice loomed over him and he felt his sanity slowly slipping away. His pupils narrowed, the sweet pictures fading into irrelevance.

 _You've already gone through enough pain._

The voice was right, he had let foolish nostalgia distract him from his mission. Once again he felt the weight of the dagger on his belt, a hand clad in white leather reached around the handle.

Ladybug might have stayed the same as before, but himself? He was all different. And it was better that way.

Once more, the butterfly symbol shone brightly around his eyes before disappearing. The voice would leave him alone, so that Ladybug couldn't figure out he was blessed with the power of an akuma so easily. It would only provoke an unnecessary fight. Not that he couldn't easily beat her in a fight, but it would be risky.

His lips formed into a derisive grin as he quietly stepped out of the shadows. She was still there, having sat down at this point, her legs dangling from the roof. She hadn't noticed him yet… all it took was a well-placed throw of his dagger, but… where was the fun in that. And besides that, it was an idiotic tactic. He would only have one chance and if he missed her or didn't hit her properly, she would know he was her enemy. And he should keep that hidden well. After all, Ladybug was powerful, even though she was by herself. Why jump into a dangerous battle that, up to now, every akuma had lost, if he could succeed with much more elegant manipulation?

He came closer to her, the hood on his head pulled deep into his face. His footsteps were heard, Ladybug winced and jumped up, turning around to meet his gaze. For a moment, their eyes met, yellow with blue. This blue, like the heavens above on a bright summer day. How they sparkled, so alive, as she examined him with distrust…

Enough. Stupid, foolish feelings.

"And who are you exactly?" Her skeptical voice scared him out of his thoughts, but he quickly regained his posture and bowed to her gallantly, a charming smile on his lips.

"Just a lonely cat at night looking for company. So how could I miss this purrfect moment to meet a lovely girl like you?"

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not knowing what she should think of him. Her hand went to the yoyo on her waist, not taking it off yet though. She shifted her weight to her left leg, fighting an amused smile that tried to creep up onto her face. "Oh, a charmer. How did someone like you get onto the rooftops, did your crush run away?"

He chuckled. "Seems like I just found her again", he purred.

At that she groaned slightly, rolling her eyes, but could not resist a short laugh. It was so easy winning her trust, he thought. And when that had happened, she was done for. "How can I be your crush if I don't even know you, let alone your name?" She still eyed him rather warily, but he could not help but notice that she played along. Was that maybe… no, not really flirting. It was all part of his plan.

He inched closer to her, earning an unsure glance from her as she retreated one step. Confusion crossed her face when he kneeled down and took her hand to kiss its back. "For me, it's enough to know who you are, Mylady."

He could feel her body freezing in sudden terror and she tore her hand away from him as if she had just burned herself. Fazed she stared at him with wide eyes that darted from his head to toe, seemingly looking for something. It was almost a bit uncomfortable for him to be stared at like that.  
Now she dared a step towards him, her hand slowly reaching forward and then pulling back again. Had she intended to remove his hood? He stood still, his golden eyes piercing into hers and he saw her shudder a little in the dark. What was it that he saw in her eyes, uncertainty? Disbelief? Or maybe a glimpse of… hope? "Tell me…" Her voice had become more quiet and careful. As if she feared that speaking to loud would cause the boy in white in front of her to shatter into a million pieces. "Do you by any chance know… someone by the name… Chat Noir?"

Chat Noir. All of a sudden, it felt like the air around the two rapidly lost all comfortable warmth. The words he formed in his mouth stung like ice shards, so cold. And his eyes chastened him of a malicious lie. "Chat Noir…" Like poison on his tongue. "I've never heard that name before."

He could practically feel her hope getting smashed to pieces as her eyes turned dull. She pulled back, averting her gaze and turning away from him, no longer wanting to look at him. "Forgive me, I… I just thought-"

"What?" Harshly he cut her off. He didn't want to hear anymore, nothing at all. Not about Chat Noir. That weakling was long gone, buried somewhere deep inside of him where no one should ever find him again. Ladybug would not get him out of there now, never.

She swallowed and took a deep breath, before looking up at him again. "You… just reminded me of him. Of Chat Noir."

His eyes narrowed and he fought with keeping up the facade of the perfect gentleman. A fake smile was forced onto his face. "Forget that stranger. Whoever he is, he isn't worth it if he just leaves you behind by yourself. If you don't want to be alone, I could offer a fitting alternative…" He offered a white clad hand, only for it to be hit away by her. Dumbfounded, he met her gaze and inhaled sharply.

Her eyes that had shined so beautifully just now had filled with anger and a hint of desperation. "How can you say that about him?", she screamed, pain in her expression. "You don't even know him! Chat Noir was a hero, he was always by my side. He was my partner, dammit!" Her tone rose by an octave.

He stumbled backwards, shocked by her reaction. That had not been planned, not at all… She missed Chat Noir… No! No, that didn't matter! He had to concentrate!

Only then he heard the sniffing.

Her head was lowered, the black bands falling over her face. Still he saw the tears dripping from her chin. She… was crying.

"Until… until he…" Dejected, she wiped the silvery tears away. All Chat Blanc could do was stand there and watch her, veiled in silence. "He was always brave and honest. And he… he… was there." She shook her head and looked up, their eyes met once more. "For a moment I thought that… you, maybe… I'm sorry. I guess I was wrong."

He just stood there, feeling numb as her words dug into the pit that he had dug for Chat Noir. She missed him, that stupid, pathetic tomcat.

She was a fool. A fool to believe she could have him back. The hatred grew inside of him, raked by his own denial as he ignored the aggravating pull in his chest that whispered about his guilt. What did she know, she was a dumb little girl who had never grown up. Unlike him. Should he not be the one who had the right to cry after everything that had happened to him? How dare she question the path that he had taken, the one that had brought him strength and power? The path to becoming unbreakable.

His hand clenched into a fist, his yellow eyes glowing dangerously in his rage. He stepped closer until he was right behind her, hissing into her ear. "Don't speak his name!"

A high-pitched scream escaped her lips as she tumbled forward in an attempt to get away from him. Only where her feet wanted to step, there was no more roof. She stepped into nothing, slipping. He saw her fall, heard her scream-

Not even a second later he found himself kneeling at the edge of the roof, her hand in his. He held onto her, noticing her surprised, confused expression. The ground was far below her and he doubted she couldn't have saved herself from the fall. Nonetheless, he pulled her up to safety, one arm wrapped tightly around her waist. She stared at him wide-eyed, their faces just a few inches apart and he could feel her pulse beating against his chest. A breath escaped her mouth, opened slightly from shock, and brushed his cheeks as he pressed her firmly against him with one had. The other had reached into his cloak to grab the dagger.

She was so close. The perfect chance…

But he missed it. His body refused to move, frozen in position. As if his muscles no longer reacted to his will for the second time tonight.

What was wrong with him? She was there, right in front of him at his mercy. All he had to do was pull out the dagger and… did he even want this? What, of course he wanted this! How could he even consider anything else, she was useless and pitiful and why would his body not move?!

Before he could decide on anything, she had already freed herself of his grip and had gained discrete distance to him, not noticing the dagger though. She offered him a sheepish smile. "That was… unexpected."

Whatever this girl did to him, it was not good. Not a proper influence. He had to get away from her and fast. So that he could return and try again as soon as he had gotten his priorities in order. "I… I have to go." He turned around on one heel and ran, his cloak flowing behind him in a white blur.

But she came after him, swinging to him using her yoyo and catching his arm before he could get away. As he looked at her, she returned the glance with a begging expression. "Don't go."

He hesitated. What should he say? Swallowing heavily, he took her hand gently into his. This girl was spinning his head around, what was he doing?! Calm down, he told himself, this was all part of the plan to win her trust, nothing else! "I have to, but I… I'll come back." To hunt her, until all of this was over.

She wanted to say something it seemed, but instead she settled for a simple, kind smile, letting go of his hand and thus allowing him to leave. He saw it in her sky blue eyes, she would wait for him. Unknowingly wait for her death.

As he rushed away into the dark, until even the innocent brightness of his cloak had disappeared, he felt a sting in his chest, lingering. Muffled feelings of guilt that he tried to ignore.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _Hello, I hope you enjoyed my first chapter of "White Mask". I have put a lot of thought into this and more chapters are on their way._

 _Just so that you know, I am actually German and English is not my birth language. Which means I first need to write a chapter in German, then let friends proof-read it and then I translate the chapter into English and let my American friend check it for grammar mistakes. Writing a chapter takes me about a day if I'm fast and translating takes another day. So please don't be mad if I don't post chapters every other day, I'll try to update frequently._

 _By the way, there is a reason why Chat Blanc doesn't act like a destructive maniac in my fanfiction. Just be patient please, it will all make sense soon._

 _Anyways, thanks for reading. See ya :D_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The entrance hall was empty and quiet as he came in through the huge, heavy wing doors. Out of the night's darkness and into the vast, distanced home that still felt so hollow. The floor was covered in white and black marble tiles like a chessboard, turning into a decorated circle in front of the grand staircase with the slightly rolling balustrade. Towering windows flanked by dark velvet curtains allowed a little moonlight to fall into the hall. A few indoor plants tried to bring at least a little life into the scenery, but in vain.

The silence was almost pressuring to the ears, except for the quiet scratching, like a quill on paper. Chat Blanc turned his head after he had closed the doors behind him. Of course, Nathalie war still awake. She sat upright behind her desk made of precious oak wood, documents filled with notes lying in front of her as she worked through them, her dull eyes staring intently through her glasses at the black words before her. For a second she raised her quill from the parchment, took a bit more ink from her ink pot and kept on writing, an act that repeated in an almost endless circle, but the only thing that vaguely reminded one of life in this empty house.

Chat Blanc wouldn't complain though. He was glad to be here again, as far away as possible from Ladybug and the games she had tried to play with him. Did she really think she could toy with his mind? Now that she was gone and only the picture of her was left in his head, anger seethed in his thought sand put a frown on his face.

His father would expect him for sure. Pulling the white cloak tighter around him, he stepped forward towards the staircase. He wasn't really certain who would be more displeased with his failure, Hawkmoth or himself. Though it didn't matter now anyway, he had failed his mission and could only hope for a bit of mercy and understanding. Which was quite a rarity when it came to Hawkmoth.

Why had he failed though, what had gone wrong, why did he hesitate in the first place? He had prepared for this night for years and he had been so close to succeeding. He swore he could still feel her breath on his cheeks as he had held her close, his fingers wrapped around the hilt of his dagger. But he had done nothing. Nothing at all. Was he a coward? Nonsense, the akuma protected him from such foolish behavior, he was far better than that. It surely was not the fault of his black butterfly, especially since it would never be Hawkmoth's will for him to fail. What had happened then?

"Your father wishes to speak to you immediately", Nathalie announced, her plain voice echoing in the giant, hollow room. "He is expecting you in the observatory." As always, she sounded as cool and distanced as the house she was sitting in. Occasionally Chat Blanc wondered whether this woman was even able to feel any kind of emotion. At this point he doubted it though, but what did he care.

Without a word he climbed the staircase, higher and higher. He needed a reason, something. Why had he been paralyzed back then? Maybe something had been wrong with his suit… the suit. Plagg.

Oh Plagg, that wretched traitor. Who else could want him to stop doing what he had intended to do? That deceitful cat, he had never been fine with the thought of Chat Blanc hurting Ladybug. Still, Chat had trusted his kwami. Would Plagg really deceive him like this? He knew how much all this meant to Chat Blanc!

If Plagg had, he would regret it.

Far too quickly Chat Blanc stopped in front of the doors of his father's private study. He would be behind there, in the hidden room that was only ever accessed by Gabriel Agreste and Chat Blanc himself. The masked boy swallowed heavily. Whatever was going to happen, it would certainly not be pleasant.

His white clad fingers hesitated, before pushing open the door. Determined to get this talk behind him, he crossed the dark private study, until he stood before a grand portrait of a beautiful blonde woman hanging from the wall behind his father's desk. The room was shrouded in shadows, the curtains closed except for one, allowing faint moonlight to dance on the features of the woman on the portrait and illuminating her sweet, gentle smile.

No more hesitations. He reached out and pulled a small lever beside the painting, which in turn moved and swung open, revealing the place he had been called to. The observatory.

It was a circular room with no furniture whatsoever. Only at the far end to the left, a few chains hung from the plain stone walls. Chat Blanc had no clue what they were there for, since they had never been in use, and if his vision in the dark weren't as great as it was, he would never have even noticed them. Darkness was pervasive here, though the ground was covered in hundreds of delicate, white butterflies, occasionally moving their luminescent wings. So many pure, innocent creatures. No candle lit the room, only the silver moonlight fell inside through the gigantic, round glass window.

There was mainly one reason why this room was called the observatory. From here, Hawkmoth watched the poor souls who had succumbed to the temptation of his akumas.

And there he was, standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by the sitting white butterflies, his eyes glued to the window and the nightly city beyond. His body was clothed in a black suit embroidered with silver, and a long, purple cape flowing over his shoulders to the ground. On his head rested the black mask that covered all his features, his mouth excluded. In one hand he held a dark cane, a gemstone of indigo fastened at the top.

Hawkmoth didn't move as Chat Blanc came inside, he didn't even look around. He just waited, until the cat in white stepped forward and bowed his head respectively. "Father."

No answer at first. The silence in the room was almost crushing to Chat Blanc. Hawkmoth knew, he was sure, he had certainly seen everything though Chat's own, golden eyes.

"You failed."

No emotion could be heard in his voice, nothing but icy cold. For Chat Blanc it was more than enough to wince. He wished for nothing more than for his father to be proud of him and to succeed in the task that he had been prepared for. So that at last what had been destroyed could be restored. And now this.

"Forgive me, father, I-"

"I don't want to hear any excuses", Hawkmoth cut him off harshly. Chat flinched as if beaten and raised his shoulders to the ears. If he had the choice, he'd want the floor to open up and swallow him whole, but fate wasn't that merciful, not even with a white cat. Hadn't he buried his misfortune ages ago? Embarrassed by his failure, he stood still and didn't dare say another word.

Once more silence reigned, until Hawkmoth turned his head. His eyes pierced Chat Blanc, orbs like brewing thunderstorms. "You have failed, that might be true." He fully turned around, facing Chat and throwing a gloomy shadow upon him. "But at the same time, you have progressed in your task."

Chat Blanc blinked in surprise. He had expected anger and punishment. The corners of Hawkmoth's mouth twitched. "I congratulate you to your success, Chat Blanc. After only the first night, Ladybug trusts you enough to beg you to stay with her." A deep chuckle escaped him and his fingers touched the butterfly brooch on his collar. "How cute of her. And how naïve."

Relief washed over Chat Blanc and he sighed. Hawkmoth wasn't mad at him, at least not as much as he had feared. But he wasn't out of this room yet.

Hawkmoth paced around Chat Blanc, his storm grey eyes tacked to him, always watching as if he'd expect a specific reaction. "There is one thing that bothers me though…"

Instantly, Chat's muscles tightened and he tried his best to stay calm as Hawkmoth continued. "You had the perfect chance. She was right in front of you in your arms. And yet… you did nothing." His last word loomed above the two like a dark omen. "Now I have to wonder why. Of course, you must gain her trust to ensure success. Though, letting such a possibility just pass by?" He sounded calm, without any aggression, yet that was exactly what Chat feared more than rage. The blood ran cold in his veins.

All he had to do was tell Hawkmoth the reason and hope he believed the boy. After all, it was laughable to consider that Ladybug might have influenced Chat somehow… his fear was there nevertheless.

"Well…" Chat Blanc stumbled, looking for words that sounded believable. "There was… something wrong with my suit. It wasn't the akuma's fault, I know that, but… it just… froze around my muscles, no longer obeying my will."

Hawkmoth raised an eyebrow. "So, your kwami is responsible for your failure, is that correct?"

Chat nodded and averted his gaze. In Hawkmoth's presence, he always felt so small and weak, but at the same time he hoped that some of that powerful charisma would rub off on him. Even though he feared Hawkmoth, he still carried reverence for him inside.

"Your… kwami. Plagg." The silent cold had disappeared from his tone, replaced by a dangerous anger. Hawkmoth raised one hand, the butterflies soared up and circled him in a torrent of white. At last they seated on his body, before flying away in different directions. Where once Hawkmoth had been, there stood Gabriel Agreste, clothed in elegant, white robes of brocade, burred by strings of silver. From the brooch on his robe tumbled a small, violet creature that he caught in his hand.

"Nooroo." His voice was almost terrifyingly soothing as he carefully went over the fine butterfly wings of the kwami with two fingers. "I heard our dearest friend Plagg has disregarded my orders."

The tired kwami raised his head and stared at Gabriel with wide eyes, a hint of fear in them. "I… I don't know-"

"Silence!" Gabriel closed his fist around Nooroo, almost strangling him. Slowly he raised the weakly breathing kwami in front of his eyes. "Tell me, do you have anything to do with this?", he purred hypocritically, occasionally squeezing his fist tighter. Nooroo groaned afflicted and closed his eyes, as Chat Blanc just stood by and watched without moving an inch. "After all, Plagg and you are such good friends", Gabriel taunted. "Almost like brothers. Wouldn't it be sad if you had to suffer for what he has done?"

"M-master… I have… nothing to… do with this", the kwami whimpered and tried to free himself from Gabriel's grip.

Chat Blanc could feel Plagg's desperate urge to end the transformation in order to help Nooroo. Why did the cat-kwami even bother anymore? It wasn't the first time that Chat's father had treated Nooroo this way and at this point, Chat Blanc was used to such a sight. Still, each time the hair on his neck stood on end and he felt quite uncomfortable. But he didn't move, attempted to help or do anything at all, he just watched.

Not Plagg though. His charge might be fine just standing in front of Hawkmoth and watching cruelty without batting an eye at it, but Plagg hadn't fallen so deep. It didn't matter that his Miraculous had been infected by one of those dreadful akumas, forcing him to live with such an atrocity each time Chat transformed. Plagg still wasn't corrupted yet, he kept on fighting and hoped that one day, his protégé might take his actions as an example. To do what was right.

A golden flash of light veiled Chat Blanc's body and Adrien was back to normal. From his ring, which had permanently changed to the colour indigo through the akumas influence, a black kwami emerged. He didn't look good at all, his fur spotted with patches of indigo, remains of his fusion with the dastardly akuma.

Adrien tried to catch him, but Plagg slipped through his fingers and charged at Gabriel, baring his little fangs and fiercely biting into the hand that held Nooroo.

Gabriel cried out in pain and dropped Nooroo who fell to the ground, gasping for air. Plagg zipped around Gabriel's arm and hissed at him, when the back of a hand hit him hard on his side and Plagg was flung through the room against the wall. White butterflies scurried up in panic as the black kwami tumbled to the ground, groaning.

Satisfied, Gabriel went over to him and picked up Plagg with two fingers on his tail. "So, you are responsible for my son missing this perfect opportunity."

Plagg smirked mischievously, no fear was visible in his bright green eyes. "Hurts, doesn't it, if nothing works as planned. I hope I didn't ruin all your precious plans, Hawkmoth."

Gabriel chuckled lightly, seemingly amused. "Don't worry, Plagg, you haven't. At the most, you postponed the inevitable. Every mistake can be fixed, after all."

The kwami let out an aggressive hiss. "Just try. I won't let you hurt Ladybug!"

"Oh, I won't hurt her", Gabriel whispered in Plagg's cat-ear. "You will. When Chat Blanc uses your power to crush her once and for all."

Plagg struggled desperately, but Gabriel threw him away like an old cloth and he landed in front of Adrien's feet. By now the kwami could barely feel his body anymore, as often as he had been thrown against something. Nooroo didn't feel any better and Plagg looked at his friend with concern in his gaze. He earned a weak smile from Nooroo and relaxed as a bit of relief washed over him.

At the same time, Gabriel turned to the silent Adrien once again who had watched the scene with an emotionless expression. Though the pain of seeing his kwami hurt lingered inside of him. "It seems to me that you have trouble keeping your kwami under control. I want you to change that at once", his father ordered sternly.

"Of course", Adrien quickly obliged and lowered his head again, his eyes resting on Plagg. Since his rise to Chat Blanc the forest green color of Adrien's eyes had been ultimately replaced by stinging yellow, even without his transformation. The akumas influence weighed heavily upon the boy who had only spite left for the kwami at his feet.

"You're obviously too kind to him", Gabriel reckoned. "He can be glad that kwamis are capable of phasing through walls, otherwise I'd lock him up in a cage for his behavior. Instead, I'll strip his portion of Camembert to a minimum; he will get a small bit for when you train and when you go out to hunt Ladybug again. He won't get any tonight." Plagg whined. His wonderful Camembert…

"Adrien, I demand you keep your kwami in check." Gabriel's voice was cold and serious. "Do you understand? I don't want this nuisance to ruin everything we worked towards."

No, Adrien really didn't want that. "He will get what he deserves", he answered plainly and grabbed Plagg on his neck. The little pest really had betrayed him. He may have constantly complained about the akuma and Hawkmoth himself over the last three years, even though Adrien hadn't listened to a word, but Plagg had always been loyal and lend him his powers. To work against Adrien at a time like this… "Will you excuse me, father?"

"One more moment." A grim smile had spread on Gabriel's lips as he picked up the exhausted Nooroo. "Cutting the cheese supply short is a bit of a small punishment for such a betrayal, don't you think, Plagg?" His glare turned to the enraged, black kwami. "I suggest that Nooroo's food should be shortened as well for an indeterminate period of time. How does it feel when your friend has to suffer because of you?"

Plagg's hiss was almost scary, if only he wasn't so small. But Gabriel didn't care. "Adrien, you may leave. I want you to go to bed as soon as possible." Nooroo sniveled quietly as Gabriel waved to him. "Come, Nooroo, I shall retire myself."

The weakened Nooroo forced himself to flap his tiny wings to follow Gabriel. "Yes, master…"

In silence, Adrien accompanied his father outside of the observatory, their ways soon separating as Gabriel left for his chambers. All by himself, Adrien wandered through the dreary halls of the mansion, past paintings showing motives that had no meaning to them and plants which were treated at daytime by working servants. But now, no one was in the house and he could hear nothing more than his own footsteps on the marble floor. It felt almost like the world had forgotten he existed.

His path led him towards the east wing, still carrying Plagg in one hand who barely struggled. Not that Plagg couldn't, he was probably just as tired as Adrien. As always, the boy stayed as far away as possible from the hallway which led to the old corridors that no one entered anymore nowadays. The only exception was his father, not even Adrien could bring himself to visit the east wing. The memories about this place haunted him even in his dreams and it hurt too much. Every single time he went to his room, he was forced to bypass the hallway to the east wing, as there was no other way to his room. And every time the memories came back, each time he saw the blazing fire before his inner eye.

The torment of his thoughts hardly dimmed his anger though, rather it only fanned his rage. How could Plagg do this to him?

In front of his chamber door, Nathalie awaited him, her hands properly folded in front of her waist. No movement in her expression, as always. "Is there anything else you wish for, master Adrien?" she asked in monotonous professionalism.

"Just something to drink," he answered, maybe a bit more harshly than he had intended. It wasn't her fault that his kwami ruined his mood like this.

Her eyebrows twitched for a second. "Nothing for the kwami?" Adrien shook his head and she nodded. "As you wish."

His room was quite big, he had everything he needed here. Wide cupboards holding books and scrolls, a table with two armchairs in the corner, a chest for his private things, a desk and his rather small wardrobe. He just didn't need that much clothing since he never left the house. Paris thought he was dead, there was no need for fancy getups.

He sat down in an armchair, not feeling like hitting the sheets of his wide, comfy bed quite yet. As much as he wanted to just throw Plagg against the wall like his father had, he had to withhold his urge. A hunch told him that it wouldn't be that practical for his transformation if the kwami was seriously injured.

Displeased, he leaned his chin into one hand after putting Plagg down on one of the arm leans beside him. "What were you thinking?!" he scolded him.

Plagg shot him a wide grin. "About what? Saving you from your dearest father? Or not standing idly by as unjustness happens right under your nose?"

Adrien rolled his eyes. Plagg was a real moralizer, that could be so annoying. "Be quiet. You have no right to judge", he snarled.

Plagg laid back and relaxed, crossing the paws behind his head. "Sure I do. You just don't want to hear it." He had a point with that, but Adrien had no intention of admitting it.

His drink came and Nathalie wished Adrien a good night before she closed the door. She was the only person in the house to ever do that, even if it sounded lifeless. Secretly, he was thankful to her for doing that.

He took a sip and leaned back as well. The night had made him brittle, he almost felt vulnerable. Something was wrong with him. Maybe he hadn't mentally prepared enough for tonight after all, just physically. But that wouldn't happen again, he would not disappoint his father again. He would no longer be the reason for them to have to wait longer for what they longed for.

"See, Plagg, you have no clue how this world really works." The yellow eyes under sunkissed hair rested on the black kwami. "Sometimes sacrifices must be made and bad things done in order for something good to happen. The world is hard and unfair, but I won't let it get me down."

Plagg looked up to the boy and pulled a grimace. Who of them both was multiple thousands of years old again and apparently had no idea how the world worked? Right. Either that was a very bad joke or his charge had really lost his grip on reality. "Talk yourself into whatever you want," Plagg suggested. "Or should I say, whatever your father wants? You'll know what you're doing."

Actually, Plagg wasn't certain about that at all. But he had to have faith in the eternal bond. It just hurt him so much to see one of his charges falling so deeply that he even allowed unjust violence nearby. And called it progression afterwards… but Plagg didn't say anything about it. The boy wouldn't listen to him anyways, he hadn't done so for years after all.

Adrien stretched his limbs on the comfortable armchair and closed his eyes as he grew more tired. His inner eye formed the picture of a beautiful girl with raven hair, wrapped in a short, red polka-dot dress. She was so graceful and sweet… No, she was the enemy! He had to concentrate on what he knew about her, to find weak spots. Her abilities, her powers, the brightness of her smile, the stunning sky blue eyes-

Groaning in frustration, he got up from the chair, his fingers slipping over his neck. Curse that Ladybug, she must have bewitched him or something! He just shook his head as Plagg looked up. "I'll go to sleep. Don't disturb me. And don't you dare ask for cheese, or I'll to feed you sawdust."

Slowly he shifted towards his bed and pulled the simple, white shirt over his head, before he crawled under the blankets and rested his head in the soft pillows beneath. As soon as he closed his eyes she came back into his mind; the sound of her giggling and her warm breath on his skin…

Grumbling quietly he tossed and turned in the sheets, but the thoughts wouldn't vanish. After a while Adrien was far too exhausted to fight and surrendered. Those were only a few details that he had unintentionally memorized to estimate her better, he told himself. All parts of his plan…

A bit later, he had fallen asleep.

Plagg watched as Adrien's chest moved slowly under the blanket and at last hovered over to him, watching him in concern. The boy had no idea how much Plagg really liked him, how much he missed the caring, sweet Adrien from long ago who was always there for everyone and who had the most happy smile. Sometimes Plagg had even considered looking for a new bearer, to just steal the Miraculous and fly away. But that wouldn't work as a Miraculous couldn't be destroyed and thus, the akuma was probably stuck in it forever. And he was not going to give up on Adrien so easily anyway. Maybe someday, he would have him back…

But now, Plagg had something else to do.

Quietly he snug outside, phasing through the wood of the door to not make a noise by opening it. His stomach rumbled and he felt sick with hunger, it was almost unbearable. But he endured, he had no choice. And he wasn't going to eat sawdust.

He stopped in front of a relatively simple door and phased through it, entering a simple bedroom. The splendor of the rest of the mansion was not that visible here, but it was more than enough to live in. Just a nice bed, another desk filled with papers and a table. As hunger took its toll on Plagg, the stinking sweet scent of his favorite cheese hit him at full force. Camembert…

Nathalie had already waited for him. She was seated in a comfy armchair beside the small table, two plates standing ready on top. One of them was filled with delicious raspberries and on the other was a big roll of Camembert. As soon as Nathalie spotted the black kwami, she smiled at him, a gesture that was usually never seen on her face. "Hello, Plagg. I'm sorry I didn't bring you anything earlier, the young master didn't allow it."

Voraciously, Plagg rushed to the cheese, taking a big bite out of it. "That's fine! This cheese is fantastic, you're the best! How would I survive without my lovely, lovely cheese?", he asked dramatically.

She seemed happy at his sight, even though a hint of sadness lingered in her gaze. "Was it really that close tonight with Ladybug? I'm worried about all this…"

"Nah, it wasn't a close call at all. You'll see what I mean. Where is Nooroo?"

As if summoned, the small butterfly-kwami came phasing through the door. He looked completely exhausted and Nathalie jumped up to quickly catch him in her palms. "I'm sorry…," Nooroo muttered wearily and curled up slightly in Nathalie's hands. "I don't feel so good… Hawkmoth keeps using my powers, forcing me into transformation…"

Saddened, Nathalie carefully petted over his delicate wings and carried him over to the table, where she set him down beside the pile of sweet raspberries. Their sight instantly made Nooroo far more cheerful and he took a bite. "Thank you so much," he aspirated and after the first he immediately took another fruit. Nathalie nodded with a smile. It was all a bit of kindness in this place of cold and dread.

Purring happily, Plagg chewed on his cheese. "This right here, that's the real treasure, I'm telling you! I was already worried my charge might let me starve tonight."

A depressed sigh escaped Nathalie's lips. "I fear he really would have if his father had ordered him to." She leaned back and watched the two kwamis eat. "I have feared this night since three long years. But now… he didn't do it after all."

Plagg smirked. "Didn't I promise you that?"

Nooroo looked up from his raspberry, doubt and worry in his expression. "That may be, but it was risky. If you wouldn't have tampered with the suit-"

"The talk about the suit was nonsense", Plagg cut in, still grinning.

Nathalie blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Plaggs grin turned mischievous. "I'll tell you a little secret. Everything I just said in the observatory was just to protect our Adrien from getting punished. And to make sure Hawkmoth continues to trust in Adrien's opinion about Ladybug."

Nooroo almost dropped his red fruit, even Nathalie seemed surprised and came closer. "That had all been lies?"

"Stinky lies like this fine cheese right here," Plagg purred and patted his Camembert.

Nooroo shook his head in disbelief. "But that… that means…"

"Exactly." Plagg winked. "I didn't manipulate the suit at all, the boy was just unable to hurt Ladybug willingly. Just as I have predicted.

Don't worry, you two, trust me, I got it all under control. Soon we'll all be out of this pit. Ladybug might not know it yet, but in the end she will save us all. Especially our little black cat."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _Hello again, sorry for taking longer. I had intended to upload this chapter since two days, but I had trouble getting the grammar check done._

 _I hope you enjoyed it, reviews are very much appreciated :)_

 _See you soon!_


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